Lonely Souls
by yaminoyume
Summary: The Apple of Eden saves Kadar from death at Solomon's Temple, only to transport him into Desmond's future. Kadar teaches Desmond all he knows of being an assassin. Eventual Kadar/Desmond.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed.

**A/N:** Here's another fic I've been working on for quite awhile. I really am enjoying this one! It looks like it'll be pretty long. :)

* * *

Robert de Sable grinned maliciously raising the golden artifact high above his head. Below him, Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf were desperately fighting off the templars. Like they had choreographed the fight, their swords weaved into their enemies' defenses, and struck their mail or shields, and they always knew where the other was. This much was apparent to de Sable, who watched their fight with evil intent. He was waiting for the right moment to test out the powers of this new artifact, this piece of Eden.

Kadar glanced at Malik, giving a sharp nod as he buried his blade into the exposed leg of a knight. Malik had only time to return the look before he deflected another templar, kicking him viciously away, and then both assassin's were racing towards de Sable. Kadar was closer, and he scaled the walls with amazing speed, Malik only a few seconds behind.

"Foolish assassins! You walk into your own doom!" Robert laughed uproariously, causing Kadar to falter in shock as he cleared the ledge. Kadar blinked out of his stupor, raised his blade, and let out a cry. Robert thrust out the artifact before him. "Let this power take you from my sight! Rush towards your end, vermin!"

The light was blinding. Kadar screamed in fear as he felt it envelop him. The last thing he was able to see was Malik's enraged form spring up from behind de Sable, and the artifact falling, before he blacked out and saw no more.

* * *

"_You will help him. Teach him all that you know, child, and save us all."_

_

* * *

_

Kadar groaned, flinching at the soreness in his muscles. The ground felt mercilessly cool, biting into his flesh. He could hear voices from somewhere, murmuring. The world was still bright, stinging his eyes… No, that wasn't the light- the room was made of metal. It glinted on occasion, but it was not as bright. Kadar surveyed the room from his position scrawled on the ground. It was strange, unlike anything he knew to exist. There was a large bed beside him, and on his other side was a table made of metal and glass. Who could afford to have a single room done like this? Templars, perhaps, but why would the room for the prisoner be decorated in such a way?

A sudden sting alerted him to the various wounds he'd gotten during the battle. Adrenaline had fueled his numbness, but as it wore off he found injuries of varying severity, the worst located on his shoulder. It felt deep, but not enough to cause serious damage. That's when he discovered that he still had his weapons. Kadar frowned in thought. That meant that both he was not a prisoner and he was with the assassins or another ally, or that the templars thought he was no real threat. Kadar grit his teeth and grabbed the side of the bed, using it to hoist himself up.

There was a body on the bed. He stilled his breath in shock the moment he heard the soft breathing. Kadar stood as quietly as he could, wincing at the noise his weapons made, but the figure did not awaken. He slowly made his way to the head of the bed to look into the man's face. He gasped and sharply recoiled.

"**Alta****i****r?**"

The man jerked away, his dark eyes snapping open. It took only a few seconds to prove that this man was not Altair, however. He gave a short cry of surprise and scrambled backwards, his back slamming into the wall. His eyes were wide with surprise. Kadar's hand immediately went to his blade, though he did not draw it. The Altair-look-alike was calming down and looking him over. Slowly, as if he was afraid to startle Kadar, the man got up from his bed and walked towards him, arms raised in a gesture of peace. Kadar relaxed his grip on his sword- he had his hidden blade if any trouble should occur.

* * *

Desmond was confused. He was perplexed. He was utterly, and completely baffled. He'd gone to sleep the previous night, mind filled with thoughts of the final kills he- no, Altair- was supposed to complete. The mystery was beginning to unravel for his ancestor. His dreams were of fights, blood and screaming, the gleam of a blade as it disappeared into the throat of a knight whose eyes stared into his, accusing and fearful.

Desmond hated those dreams. Even worse, he hated when those dreams seemed to bleed into reality, which is what he figured was going on right now. He recognized the clothing almost immediately. The lower ranked assassins stationed at Masyaf wore the same garb. They looked to be about the same age, with equally haggard appearances. It wasn't until he looked into the man's bright blue eyes that he truly recognized him.

Desmond's jaw dropped. He needed to be sure, so he got up slowly, putting up his hands to show he was unarmed as an afterthought. The man's stance relaxed, so Desmond came a bit closer, getting a clear view of his face.

"Oh… my… god…"

The other man now looked just as perplexed, his face showing that he had no idea what Desmond just said.

"… Kadar? Kadar Al-Sayf?" Desmond felt like an idiot, but that sentiment was dashed as soon as the man, now most assuredly Kadar, nodded.

"**How do you know my name?" **Kadar whispered the words, unsure what to make of this new stranger. He had Altair's face, but he was certainly not Altair… He couldn't be. **"You are not Master Altair, right?"**

"No, no I'm not Altair…. I just… how the hell did you get here? Why are you in my room?" Desmond's voice was quickly giving way to his disbelief, tinged with exasperation. 'Fuck fuck fuck there are cameras everywhere and either Vidic or Lucy is going to come in here any minute and I have a supposedly dead 12th century assassin in my room!'

Kadar frowned.

"**I cannot understand you! My knowledge of the crusader's language is very limited."**

Desmond blinked. It occurred to him now that Kadar had not said a word of English since he began speaking. He was speaking Arabic, but Desmond understood him easily. On the flipside, Desmond wasn't sure if he could speak Arabic well enough to communicate.

"Um… well, uh… here goes… **My name is Desmond Miles. Do you know how you got here?"**Desmond would have winced at his stutters if he wasn't so shocked by the fact that he had just spoken _Arabic_. He looked up at Kadar, only to see the other man's face frowning with concentration.

"**There was a light, and a voice. Robert de Sable had the artifact we-Altair, my brother Malik, and I- were sent to retrieve. I saw my brother reach for me… and then I woke up here." **Kadar looked scared now. The reality of what was happening to him had finally caught up with him. He was in a strange land, with no idea of how he got there or how to return.

Desmond was thinking about what to do, when he heard the faint tap of something wet, dripping to the ground. He looked down to see a few droplets of blood on the ground.

"Wha- hey! You're hurt! I mean- ugh, this is going to take some getting used to." Kadar had flinched at Desmond's sudden burst of English, and looked ready to attack. **"Stop, stop! I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to tend your wounds. I know it might be hard for you, but would you take off your weapons and armor?"** Kadar narrowed his eyes, and once more Desmond raised his hands in a gesture of peace. **"Easy, I'm unarmed, and I assure you that if you wanted to attack me you would win easily. It's been a good while since I've had to fight anyone, and no one with your level of training."**

Kadar weighed his options, before nodding. **"Very well. Do not think of double crossing me, Englishman. I am used to defending myself in any situation."** Desmond nodded, not bothering to correct Kadar's assumption, and indicated for Kadar to sit on his bed. Kadar did so after removing his sword, scabbard, and belts, and setting them on the ground within easy reach. Desmond walked into the bathroom, grabbing two towels, wetting one and keeping the other dry. On his way back, he opened the closet to grab one of the many white t-shirts from within- with no actual bandages, this t-shirt should suffice.

When he came back, Kadar was easing his off the thick, dark grey shirt that had been covered by the white robes. Desmond saw various scars from battles before, white lines dancing over the lightly muscled back. A fresh wound, raw and glaring, was dripping blood onto the bed sheets. Desmond winced slightly, and crossed the room quickly, coming around to Kadar's side before settling onto the bed a bit behind him. He brought up the wet cloth and dabbed it around the wound. The tip quickly turned pink, then red. Kadar did not make a noise, instead remaining contemplative as to his situation. The cold clothe was soothing against the wound, even if the texture irritated it. He felt it take broader arcs along his back, cleaning the area against the wound, and for a moment he was reminded of being tended to by the women of Masyaf, the healers and entertainers alike- on occasion they were both. Kadar flushed and banished the thought from his mind. Twice, Desmond got up to re-wet the cloth. When he felt satisfied with the cleanliness of the wound, he picked up the shirt, preparing to cut it into strips.

"**Um… May I borrow one of your throwing knives to cut this? It'd be rather hard to do it myself."** Kadar blinked, and then nodded. He handed Desmond the knife, but rather than sit with his back turned, he now faced the other man, keeping a second throwing knife within reach. Desmond noticed, but said nothing, instead busily cutting the shirt into thick strips that he could wrap around the wound. Kadar watched him work, once more stricken by how alike he and Altair looked. They could have been the same, were it not for their startlingly different personalities.

The strips were made, and wrapped around the wound. Desmond also cleaned out the smaller cuts and inspected the numerous abrasions left on Kadar's skin. Kadar was embarrassed by the close inspection and quickly brought his limbs back to him when Desmond finished.

"**Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you would be alright."**

"**It is fine. What do we do now? Will you tell me more about this land I am in? How do you know me?" **Kadar wanted to know more. His blue eyes bore into Desmond, now sharp for hints of untruthfulness. Desmond fidgeted under his gaze, unsure how to begin.

"**Well, um… Kadar… You lived- were alive- erm… that is, the last year you remember is 1191, correct?"** Desmond inwardly scowled at his oh, so clever entry into the subject. Kadar only blinked and nodded. **"Ok well… It's the year 2012. I am the descendant of Altair Ibn La'Ahad."**

There was a moment of silence. Desmond's twitching only grew under Kadar's disbelieving stare.

"… **You lie."**

Desmond scoffed. **"No, I do not! I know it must be hard to believe-** I can't believe I'm explaining this to an 800-year-old should-be-dead assassin sitting on my bed! You shouldn't be here! Fuck!" Desmond didn't realize he'd switched to English mid-rant. **"Believe it or not, you have been transported 800 years into the future for some reason and I have no idea what it is. I do know that while it isn't much, I was an Assassin, and I have no intention of lying to or hurting you!"**

Kadar was floored by the somewhat volatile man's outburst. Desmond had settled on the bed and put his hands of his head. He was muttering under his breath. Kadar took in his rumpled clothing, the pale pallor to his skin. He was obviously stressed.

"God, this is so fucked. First I get kidnapped by these fucking crazy-ass templar scientists who are definitely gonna kill me, and now this guy! Someone up there must really have it out for m-" Desmond stopped sharply, his head whipping up to look at the door. Kadar heard the noises as well, though he had no idea what it meant. "Shit! Vidic!" Desmond bolted up, picking up the towels and scraps of shirt and throwing them into his closet. He rushed back over to Kadar, staring helplessly at him for a second, before kicking the man's weapons- Kadar cried out in indignation at this- under the bed and throwing Kadar's shirt and robe at him. Kadar just managed to get the clothing on when a sharp hiss startled him so badly that he was on the other side of the room in a half second flat.

"Good morning, Mr. Mi- What the devil?" Desmond flinched from the doctor, for the first time feeling scared. His own position he was pretty sure of, but what would they think of Kadar? Would they kill him? "Mr. Miles, I demand an explanation!"

"Listen, doc, I really got no idea but-"

"Don't give me that! Lucy! How the hell did this man get in here?" Vidic yelled over his shoulder, enraged that somehow another being had gotten into the room without his knowledge.

"What?" Desmond had never been so glad to see Lucy's face peek into the room. His eyes were wide as he glanced from Lucy to Kadar, begging her to come up with something. "Oh… my god… Is that… an assassin? I mean, from…" She could only gesture helplessly at the Animus as words finally failed her.

"What? That's not possible!" A look came into Vidic's eyes, one that Desmond could only refer to, with a shudder, as the 'scientist's gleam.'

"… **What is going on, Desmond. If you are truly my ally as you say you are, then explain to me what is happening."** Kadar's low tones filled the room, his use of Arabic surprising the two scientists. Desmond could only give him a weak look. He glanced quickly at the two Abstergo employees who had no doubt heard his name being used by the stranger, and were waiting for a response. Desmond's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"**Kadar… these are my captors. I'm being held prisoner here against my will so that these people may use my mind to explore the memories of my ancestors, specifically Altair."**The Arabic fell haltingly from his lips, but it got the expected response nonetheless.

"Arabic? You can't speak Arabic- your file indicated that the only language you ever dabbled in returned with astronomical failure!" Vidic's harsh outburst earned him a glare from Desmond. "You must have learned it from the Animus! Ms. Stillman, did subject 16 ever show these symptoms during his experience with the bleeding effect? And you still haven't told me who this man was, Mr. Miles!"

Desmond scowled at the excitable scientist. "His name is Kadar Al-Sayf, Malik's younger brother. Supposedly, he died in Solomon's temple. And no," Desmond raised a hand stopping Vidic, "I do not know how he got here." Vidic was, for a moment, blessedly silent. Lucy now looked worried. "… I don't know what the bleeding effect is, but I was able to understand him right away, and if I concentrate I can speak Arabic… sort of."

"What do you mean, sort of," Lucy asked. Desmond sighed and scratched his head.

"It's like when I need to words, they just appear in my mind, both how to say it and how to write it. I know Arabic at the time I need to know it. Whatever words or phrases I use I learn permanently… as far as I can tell. **I'm explaining to them how I can speak your language, Kadar. I do not know what will happen to you… Be ready, but please, listen to me if I tell you to do something. Please."** Desmond addressed the last part to the young assassin in the corner of his room, who could only respond with a swift nod.

"This is fascinating, truly fascinating…" Vidic had the gleam again, and now he was pacing in Desmond's room, coming disturbingly close into his personal space. After a moment of tense silence, Vidic only sighed and shrugged. "Unfortunately, interesting as this may be, we have a job to do. Come along Mr. Miles. I'll arrange for a security detail to come for your little companion." Desmond jerked backwards. He felt very deeply that if he lost sight of Kadar, he would never see him again.

"N-no! I mean," Desmond fumbled for words. Luckily, Lucy came to his rescue again.

"Vidic, we don't have time for this. Remember the last time you had the guards come in here? It took us weeks to fix the cooling system for the Animus! All it takes is one jumpy, trigger-happy guard and our entire system goes down. Deadline, Vidic, deadline." Lucy stood indignantly, trying not to push the issue too hard, lest the older man could see what she was up to. "Besides, the kid seems to trust Desmond, and they speak each other's language." Vidic gave an exasperated sigh and waved his hand dismissively.

"Fine, fine, do what you want! I want Mr. Miles in the Animus now!" Vidic barked out the order as he strutted out of the room. Desmond's face betrayed his anger at the man.

"Come on. Your friend can come too, but make sure he understands that he cannot make a peep. Clear?"

"Crystal. **Kadar, they're going to put me into a machine that allows them to see my memories. While I'm in it, you will be allowed to sit next to me, but you must not do anything. It will be a long wait… sorry about this."** Desmond looked guilty, but Kadar only nodded and made his way towards the bed. **"Wait! Don't go for your weapons! If they know they're there, they will take them away."** Desmond's hand was raised, and once more Kadar could only nod, though this time he grit his teeth in aggravation.

"… Desmond, what's going on?"

"N-nothing, nothing… just misspoke. I'm not really used to this, ya know? He'll behave… I think…"

"Okay. Come on, you know the drill." Desmond noticed something now- Lucy was nervous. She was hiding it exceptionally, but her eyes were wider than usual, and darted about the room constantly. Desmond indicated for Kadar to follow, waiting until Kadar was nearer to him before exiting the room first.

Kadar sucked in a breath at the sight. The high glass walls shocked him, but not nearly as much as the view outside. Unbidden, he broke away from Desmond and Lucy and shakily made his way over to the wall, slowing considerably as he got closer. His hood remained lowered, giving the entire group an unhindered view of the awe and tinge of terror in his expression. The ground was so far down, and all around him for as far as he could see were buildings. He could barely see the people below as they milled about. In retrospect, he supposed looking straight down was a bad idea. The sound of his blood pumping in his ears turned into a roar as he remained transfixed at the sight. He turned sharply away, wrenching his gaze through sheer force of will, and there was Desmond, coming up behind him, arms out wide, eyes beseeching.

"**Calm, Kadar… Come on, come away from the wall. We have to get you calmed down or else they'll take you away. Come on…"** Desmond held out his hand. Kadar put his own trembling hand into his and allowed himself to be led away from the window and into the chair by a strange object. It resembled a bed, but made of metal and certain to be uncomfortable. Once Desmond made sure he was settled down, he squared his shoulders, walked over to the object and lay down upon it. Kadar jumped as another sheet of glass moved by itself over Desmond's head.

"**Sorcery?"** Kadar hissed. Desmond turned towards him and shook his head.

"**No, this is just technology. No sorcery involved. In the future we have-"**

"Get on with it, Mr. Miles!" Desmond groaned at the voice, and turned his head up to the glass. It glowed softly, and then the rest of the machine began to glow as well. Kadar flinched, but the glowing did not intensify. Desmond looked as if he went to sleep.

The next few hours were tense. At first Kadar fidgeted, looking nervously between Desmond and the woman-Lucy, he thinks her name was- and it's all he could do to stay seated. Several times he had to berate himself, thinking a full grown assassin would never act as he was acting. Then again, he wasn't a full grown assassin. Kadar frowned. He had spent his life training to be, so he should act like one anyway. What would Malik thi-

That thought froze the very blood in his veins. He was slow to realize it, but now the full implications of what was happening hit him. Malik was dead. Altair was dead. Al Mualim, all the other assassins, people he trained with, grew up with; all of them had long since turned to dust. Kadar began to shake, but he held back the tears. In this moment he began to realize what it felt to be truly, truly alone.

The sun was beginning to set. Kadar's breathing had evened out. He'd missed the worried looks Lucy had given him, becoming numb to everything around him as he fell into his own mind, but now Lucy was up and pushing buttons on the machine.

"What now, Ms. Stillman!"

"Vidic, you're going to want to see this."

Their strange tongue danced over his ears, meaning hidden away from him. Kadar scowled in frustration. Whatever it was, it must have been important. The older man got up and was walking towards the machine. Kadar was not spare a single glance as they remained entranced, watching the screen.

"Is that… is that the apple? But Al Mualim has it!"

Kadar blinked, hearing the name of his old master. Slowly, he got up, trying to be silent, but he need not have bothered. The other two were engrossed. Kadar peaked around at the screen. There were figures on it, speaking. He flinched and almost cursed at the sight of 'sorcery' before remembering Desmond's words. Instead, he continued watching.

'_I recognize that… Altair? And Al Mualim! But why do they battle?_' Kadar watched in shock as Al Mualim created copies of himself, striking at the master assassin. Altair flinched away from the blows, but a few landed. Kadar found himself gripping his side where his blade should have been, wanting to join the fray, but still unsure who he would assist. He flinched, violently, as Altair struck their master down, and from his hands rolled the treasure from the temple.

The sight of that golden orb struck his memory. It was the last thing he saw, and obviously it was of some importance. Altair gave his blessing to the older man, and Kadar was more confused than he'd ever been. 'Now even my allies look like enemies!' There was something going on behind Altair. The apple started shining in an array of colors, causing Kadar to reflexively step back. That's when the other two noticed him.

"Ah!" Lucy jumped at the sound of Vidic's cry, barely holding in an embarrassing cry herself at the sight of the younger Al-Sayf brother. "What the devil are you doing here? Sit back down!"

"Vidic, he doesn't understand you! Might I also warn you about yelling at our trained assassin? You might spook him!" Lucy barked, unworried that she was upsetting Vidic. Vidic gave her an irate look and opened his mouth, but he was interrupted when Kadar stepped towards the screen, resting his hand on a corner of it. Lucy looked down, and realized what he was looking at.

"**Malik… my dear brother…"** Kadar's voice was heavy with grief. He noticed absently that Malik wore the garb of a Dai, and that he was missing his arm, but all he thought about was the fact that his brother was lost to him forever. He jumped at a touch on his elbow. It was the woman. She was giving him a sad look, but her gaze dropped fast. The screen suddenly went blank, showing words and letters he didn't understand, and the woman gently nudged him towards the chair. Kadar sat down heavily, the fight rushing out of him. He heard a hissing noise as the glass disappeared from over Desmond's head. Desmond got up, covering his face with a hand and groaning.

"What the hell…?"

"**I demand to know what happened."**Kadar spoke swiftly, and Desmond's head whipped up to look at him. His mouth opened to begin to answer, when there was suddenly a commotion from the side. Kadar looked past him and saw three men in black clothes behind another wall of glass. Several words were exchanged, some of them yelled. For a moment, Desmond tensed, but then he relaxed once more. The scientists stalked out, leaving Desmond behind. Desmond was oddly silent, staring at the floor fixedly. Kadar got up, walking to Desmond's other side. He was about to ask what was wrong, but he drew back, letting out a low hiss. Desmond's eyes were gold. It was a look he recognized well. **"You have the gift of Altair's vision."** Desmond snapped out of his trance.

"… **There are marks all over the floor written … in blood I think… It makes no sense, none of it does!"** Desmond put his head in his hands. Kadar watched for a moment, silent.

"**Desmond, I need to know what happened. I put my trust into you,"** Kadar began, words firm enough to stir Desmond into reacting.

"**Right, right… Altair fought against Al Mualim, who betrayed all the assassins of Masyaf. He used the artifact from Solomon's Temple, the piece of Eden, to control the minds of your brothers. Altair, Malik and his men were spared it's effects."**

"**I saw him, in the glass by the machine. He… he looked… worn."** Kadar glanced away, rubbing his arm to cover his sorrow. Desmond only nodded.

"**He lost his arm because of what happened at Solomon's Temple. He felt your loss deeply, believing you had died,"** Desmond paused at the look of pain on the other man's face. Kadar looked near tears, exposing a side completely different to the battle-worn assassin journeyman he'd encountered hours earlier**. "I'm sorry… It took a few years, but Altair changed and won Malik's trust back. It was only together that Altair was able to overthrow Al Mualim."** Kadar only nodded, showing he'd heard.

"**I see. Thank you for telling me. Now, what is going on here?"** Kadar moved his gaze around the room, indicating towards the machine with his chin.

"**These people are templars, except maybe for Lucy, the woman you saw earlier."** The information sent Kadar reeling.

"**Templars?" **

"**Yes."** Desmond's response was curt, bringing Kadar's attention sharply to him. **"I don't know what they plan to do with us. I believe they want me to be alive, for now. They have need of my memories…" **

Kadar could only stare at the other man in shock.

"**And you will just give it to them? You will just lay down and let them take what they want from you? You say you are an assassin, yet I see no evidence of it now!"** Kadar yelled at him, using his confusion and sorrow to fuel the angry outburst. Desmond's face contorted with rage.

"**I have no choice! Unlike you, I do not have years of experience and training at my disposal! The last time I ever trained at all, I was 16 years old- 8 years ago! I only ever learned basic things, and nothing about breaking out of a templar base-"**

"**Excuses! You are worse than any novice I've met. You did not even try to leave!"** Kadar's words made Desmond flinch. Desmond knew he was right. He'd let the templars climb inside his mind and pull out whatever they needed. He could have fought, but where would that have landed him! In a coma, that's where. Kadar gave an aggravated sigh. **"Well, what tools do we have at our disposal? I have my weapons, and I am an able fighter. My wounds will not hinder me much."**

"**Your weapons will, more likely than not, have little effect unless you can get close to your targets. There are modern day weapons unlike anything you have ever seen. A tiny metal weapon will shoot little bits of metal that will kill you, faster than any bow and arrow by a lot."** Desmond struggled to put as much emphasis into his voice as possible, but the disbelief still colored Kadar's face.

"**What about the woman?"**

"**Lucy? She can't help us without risking herself. Her hands are tied."**

"**Will she not want to escape as well?"**

"**I don't know, and I can't ask her without raising suspicion,"** Desmond huffed, the barrage of questions hurting his already taxed mind.

"**Well, how about getting out of this room?"** Kadar turned away from Desmond in favor of surveying their surroundings, pointedly avoiding the windows facing the outside. Desmond threw up his arms in exasperation, and also surveyed the room.

"**The main exit is that door, and I don't know how to open it. I have the means of exiting my room, and accessing that room there,"** Desmond pointed to the conference room, **"But there are no paths leading out from either."**

Kadar scowled. Seeing that he'd stopped the flow of questions, for now at least, Desmond returned to looking at the scrawled blood writings on the floors and walls. Kadar followed him distractedly. Eventually, both ended up in Desmond's room, where he let out a low hiss and gazed at something Kadar could not see on the far wall. Kadar shrugged and picked up his discarded belongings, placing them all back onto his body. He stayed still for a moment, gathering his thoughts and watching the other man irritably, until the sudden noise of the door opening made him whirl. It was the woman, but wearing different clothes now. Kadar zeroed in on the blood on her shirt, and a hand was on his sword immediately. He, however, was only spared a glance, as immediately Desmond began talking with her, and then running out.

"Get in the Animus, Desmond!"

"What's going on Lucy?"

"Desmond we don't have a lot of time! Just get in the Animus, please!"

Kadar watched Desmond's face closely, watching for signs that they would be attacked, but was surprised when he simply went to lie down on the machine once more. He was only in the machine for a few minutes. The woman, Lucy, kept glancing nervously at the door, back to the screen, then back to the door, as if she was expecting enemies at any moment. Kadar began to realize that she probably was, so he stepped forward, causing her eyes to jump to his, then nodded and faced the door, hand on his blade. He heard her sigh, a combination of relief and frustration. It was only a little while after that that he heard the machine turn off and Desmond get up.

"Ugh… I'm gonna need a second here…"

"There isn't time, Desmond. We have to leave." Kadar watched Desmond get up from the machine on shaky legs, then take a deep breath and straighten out, looking determinedly at the door. Then they were running. Kadar brought up the end of the group, following Desmond following Lucy. His cursed as two guards came around a corner, but what happened next he did not expect in the least. Lucy dispatched the guards easily, moving seamlessly from blow to blow, leaving the two guards battered and unconscious on the ground.

"Holy shit!" Desmond's tone, and possibly his cry, echoed Kadar's own feelings.

'_She has definitely been trained well. An assassin?'_

Lucy walked forward, keeping their group moving. They walked down hallways, and onto a box that turned out to be a moving platform, one that Kadar had to be coaxed onto by Desmond. When they reached the bottom, Kadar was taken aback to see a huge room, filled entirely with the same machines. Guards patrolled the hallways, and Kadar itched to sink his blade into the neck of one. He was about to, when a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned, and saw Lucy who regarded him with a steady gaze. Anger flared up, but died just as quickly. _'Alright, this is your arena.'_ Desmond watched as the two came to a silent understanding, and to his surprise, felt a little jealous.

They continued through the room of machines. Kadar regarded each room with barely restrained fear, uncertain as to what the templars were doing with the horde of machines, but knowing it wasn't good. They had almost made it when Desmond stumbled, alerting a nearby guard. The three dashed around a corner, hoping they'd escaped notice. Kadar thought for a moment, and then climbed onto one of the glass boxes, staying low to the top of it. As the guard came around, Kadar slinked behind him and quickly covered his mouth while he drove his blade into the man's heart through the back. The man died as Kadar gently set his body down, whispering words in Arabic before closing the man's eyes. Desmond grabbed Kadar's arm and tugged him forward as they ran the last few meters to where Lucy was waiting by another large door.

"Fuck! I thought this card would work, but it must be on a separate system and I don't have a code for the door!" Lucy looked dismayed. Kadar didn't understand the entire problem, so he turned to Desmond. Desmond had a strange expression on his face.

"Wait…" There was that look again in his eyes- eagle vision. Kadar waited while he pressed the numbers on the wall, watching for guards. There was a small noise, and the sound of Desmond muttering.

"**Desmond, I would hurry whatever it is you are doing. The guards approach from either side,"** Kadar murmured, pulling out a throwing knife.

"**I know, I'm trying!** Come on…." Desmond jammed another code in. Again he got the same reaction. Kadar readied his knife as he heard the boots click closer… The door suddenly hissed open. Lucy turned to Desmond, about to say something, but Kadar grabbed both their shoulders and pushed them inside, waiting until the doors were closed to pocket the knife.

"How did you do that?" Lucy was looking at him with curiosity, and a twinge of apprehension. Desmond frowned at the look.

"I… I don't know…" They spoke more, but Kadar tuned them out. Instead, he watched as they descended down a tunnel ringed with red lights, and he felt distinctly out-of-place. The others seemed unworried about their current environment, but the strange world made Kadar feel ill. Instantly he steeled himself against the feeling, shame flooding his body for letting his emotions get in the way of a mission.

'_That's all this is… just a mission. Achieve your goal without harming innocents, without bringing attention to yourself, and without…'_ Kadar glanced briefly at his momentary allies. _'… Without endangering the brotherhood…' _

The doors opened to a clearly underground expanse. A group of guards waited for them at the bottom and raced towards them. Silently, Kadar thanked whatever mystical beings were watching for the chance to work off his frustration. In the blink of an eye, Kadar had drawn his sword and was charging into the fray. The first two guards were not given the chance to dwell on the fact that their fists made them woefully underprepared to fight the skilled assassin- his blade made short work of their throats. The next two were dispatched with a bit more effort on his part. One distracted him, picking up a nightstick off a dead guard to use, while the other attacked him from behind. Kadar slid gracefully under his form, dodging the fist and lining up his sword with the man's torso in one fluid move. He saw behind the now dead man that the rest of the guards had attacked Desmond and Lucy, though the two were holding their own.

'_Such wild swings. He knows how to kill a man with his hands, but he will tire himself out in a real fight.'_ Kadar quickly turned and finished the other guard off with a last, unhurried blow. All the guards were dead, bleeding out, or unconscious. Kadar cleaned his sword on the garment of one of them before sprinting after Desmond to a strange machine. Desmond and Lucy argued for a moment before Desmond faced him. He could tell by the look on the other man's face that he was not going to like what he was going to say.

"**She needs us to climb into the back so that the others don't see us."** Desmond's face was sullen. Kadar only looked at him confusedly.

"**The back…?"** Kadar peered behind Desmond to see the small compartment. **"What? She is daft in the head! There is no way we will both fit in there!"** Kadar took a step back, extremely irritated.

"**We can if you take off your weapons and don't mind being extremely close to me."** Desmond blushed at this and rubbed the back of his neck. Clearly he wasn't too comfortable with the idea. Lucy suddenly gripped his arm tight, spouting something in angry English.

"We need to go Desmond! Get it together or knock him out and throw him in! I'm sorry but if we don't get out now, they'll take us back and we- Kadar and I- will be dead!" Desmond flinched at her tone.

"**Please… brother. We don't have much time!"** Desmond pleaded with Kadar in a last attempt. Kadar felt numb for a second to process his words. He felt anger pool in his veins. Desmond's use of the address only fueled his fury. Still, he recognized their urgency and nodded. Desmond climbed into the trunk first, scooting so his back was pressed firmly against the seat. Kadar quickly divested himself of his weapons, handing them to Lucy. The remaining space in the trunk was woefully little, but Kadar was a small enough man, and with some maneuvering, he was able to squeeze into the trunk, facing Desmond. Lucy murmured something then shut the lid of the trunk. Instantly that feeling of being ill returned to Kadar, this time accompanied by dizziness. The feeling did nothing to levy his anger. As soon as they started moving, Kadar reached out to where he supposed Desmond's neck might be. He missed, and instead caught the other man's chin, but this was good enough. Kadar dragged Desmond close so that the other man might see his gaze in what little light there was.

"**You have no earned the right to call me brother. Assassin though you may call yourself, you have not proven yourself in skill, or manner,"** Kadar hissed. Vaguely he remembered that, in most ways, Altair had also not acted according to their code the last they met, but he pushed the thought back. Desmond's eyes were wide with confusion, uncomprehending of Kadar's sudden aggression. Their eyes met for the briefest of seconds, and in that moment Kadar was able to see his confusion, curiosity, and the merest hint of fear. He wondered if Desmond saw the same in his own eyes. Desmond cast his gaze down, unable to move his head due to the grip on his chin. He nodded as much as he could.

"**Then… would you… would you show me how?"** Desmond bit his lip, unsure what the request would bring about. Kadar was so stunned that his anger vanished. He slowly let go of the chin, then huffed to keep up the appearance of irritation. Desmond did not seem to notice his change in demeanor, keeping his eyes downcast- embarrassed he had to ask, perhaps?

"… **Very well, Desmond; I will teach you what I know."**

**

* * *

A/N: **Well, I hope you liked it! Sorry if it seemed to go somewhat fast.

Some notes: Desmond speaks the Arabic that I think Altair might have used during his life. I'm not going to delve too deeply into the evolution of Arabic in the past 800 or so years because I don't even know how to approach that topic, so a lot of liberties will be taken in that regard. Sorry. :


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm so sorry for taking so long with this update! You have all been more than patient and kind. Thank you so much for all the reviews! I hope I don't disappoint. :)

**Ch2**

The car slowed to a stop. A few seconds later, the trunk lid popped open. Kadar blinked in the sudden brightness, his eyes stinging. He was lucky to have been facing away from the opening. Desmond however, was not- he yelped and covered his eyes.

"_Motherfu-_" Desmond groaned.

"Come on, you two. Boy, don't you guys look cozy."

"Yeah, that's right; make jokes about the guys you stuffed in your trunk. Thanks for that, by the way." Desmond tossed Lucy a disgruntled look. She sighed and shrugged. Kadar ignored the exchange, a simple task due to his lack of understanding, and climbed out of the trunk. He stretched his cramped arms and legs, willing blood back into them. A pained groan reached his ears, and he turned to see Desmond struggling to sit against the back of the machine. He lowered his head and rolled his shoulders, causing a burst of distinct popping noises.

Kadar suddenly felt guilty, realizing that in his effort to provide more space, Desmond had given up his own comfort. He was jolted back to attention as Lucy handed him his weapons. Kadar slowly put them on, habitually checking each one for signs of sabotage. Desmond got up and began walking with Lucy. They spoke for a time before pausing.

"Really, it's okay. Besides… I kind of asked Kadar to teach me what he knows. I figured it was the best way to earn his trust… and I could use all the help I can get," Desmond explained. Lucy's face brightened.

"Thank you, Desmond! You have no idea what this means to us, to everyone." Lucy hugged him, much to Kadar's surprise. They immediately began walking once more. Kadar watched as they walked into another large room full of strange devices, with yet another glass wall. He missed the familiar architecture of his home at Masyaf.

"Lucy! You made it!" Kadar jumped at the sound of another voice. A short, dark-haired woman hugged Lucy and immediately began talking rapidly.

"… Lucy, who is this?" Desmond turned to look at the newcomer. He had a distinct British accent. A sharp movement alerted him to Kadar tensing up substantially at the sound of the other man's voice.

"Oh… right. Well, Desmond, this is Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane. They will be helping you with your adventures in the ANIMUS-"

"Baby," Rebecca asserted, folding her arms obstinately.

"… Right, Baby. Guys, of course this is Desmond Miles… and this is Kadar Al-Sayf," Lucy finished, indicating to Kadar who straightened at the sound of his name. Silence met her announcement before Shaun rested his hands on his hips and leveled the woman with a steady stare.

"Bullshit."

"Nope."

"You expect me to believe that Kadar Al-Sayf, died 1191 A.D. in Solomon's Temple, is standing here in our midst? How bloody gullible do you think we are? Well, I am, anyway," Shaun muttered the last bit, ignoring Rebecca's indignant scoff.

Kadar looked confused between the speakers, hearing his name being thrown around a lot. He could only guess that his presence was being explained, but not understanding everything unnerved him. In this strange language, even his name was hard to discern from their mix of garbled sounds. It irritated him.

"**What is going on now, Desmond?"** Kadar asked, trying to remain discreet in his question. Apparently, he underestimated the effect of speaking Arabic around non-Arabic speakers. Instantly, everyone including the addressee were staring at him.

"Well… I'll be damned. **What's your name?**" Everyone jerked in surprise at Shaun, including Kadar. "What? I was a grade-a study-holic in school you know. Languages are simply another door to understanding history. **Name?**"

"**Oh… Kadar Al-Sayf. You speak my language?"** Kadar was baffled, completely thrown off by the English-man's knowledge of his own tongue, no matter how rough.

"**Only a little. There are no real chances to use it here. My name is Shaun. Pleased to meet you.** So you weren't yanking my chain after all…" Shaun switched smoothly from the awkward Arabic to English, turning to Lucy to speak with her. "What are we supposed to do with this?" This time it was Desmond's turn.

"What do you mean 'do with this?' You have something in mind," Desmond frowned, instantly on guard. Shaun scowled at him, facing him completely.

"I just don't like the idea of him running around, is all. His presence might complicate things."

Desmond and Shaun faced off, gritting their teeth at each other. Off to the side, Lucy groaned and covered her eyes with her hand. 'This… is not a good start.' Rebecca on the other hand had decided to ignore them.

"Hello. I'm Rebecca." Rebecca spoke slowly at Kadar, placing her hand on her chest. "Rebecca."

"… Rebecca. Kadar," Kadar said, indicating to himself in a similar manner. He blinked when the girl seemed oddly giddy at his response.

"Okay, seriously guys, testosterone battle ends now. You'll be working together for quite awhile, so get used to each other," Lucy barked out, her voice breaking the two out of their staring contest. "What are you, 5?" Desmond instantly blushed, while Shaun simply shrugged.

"You going to explain what the hell he's doing here anyway," Shaun muttered, deflecting the abrasive accusation. Desmond snuck a glare at him, only to spot his own blush beneath his glasses.

'Not so tough after all, huh? Dick.'

"We don't know how he got here, but we do know that we can use all the help we can get. Lucky for us, Mr. Al-Sayf has offered up his services to train Desmond," Lucy said. "Shaun, I was wondering if maybe you can grab a language program for him to use while Desmond worked in the ANIMUS. It'd be helpful if he could speak English."

"Yeah, yeah… I can do that," Shaun said, immediately retreating back to his computer. Desmond sighed, relaxing his stance. He missed the sight of Kadar relaxing his stance as well, though Rebecca saw it. She hummed pensively, then headed back to her seat by the ANIMUS.

"Oh, Rebecca, before I forget…" Lucy pulled something out of her pocket.

"The memory core! Oh man! Lucy this is…" Desmond immediately blanked on the techno jargon that flowed from her mouth. "It'll take me a few minutes to install this…" She was already absorbed in her work, muttering to herself while she busily tapped the keys.

Kadar blinked, perplexed by the activity. He recognized the machine as being similar to the one in the place they just left. The new technology unnerved him, but he felt compelled to learn how it worked. Kadar moved behind Rebecca, watching. He felt eyes follow him around the room. Again he was reminded that this was a room of assassins, however strange. 'No, I suppose that in this world, I am the one that is strange…' Rebecca turned to him, her eyes questioning.

"**Um… I am only interested. It is such a strange object, and I do not know what it is for, or how it works. What do all these squares mean? Are they letters of your language? I've never seen it before…"** Kadar abruptly stopped, seeing the blank look the girl was giving him. He gave an aggravated sigh and stepped back. Rebecca jumped a bit at the noise. None of them trusted him yet, that much was clear.

"Easy. He's just curious, and I think the language barrier is frustrating him a bit," Desmond said, trying to placate the pair with his hands. Rebecca nodded. "I can help explain to him. Do you have an extra computer I can use?"

"Yeah, spare laptop over there. It doesn't have internet though. Too easy to trace. We have a secure line, but that's only for brief use, and pretty much only for Shaun and Lucy," Rebecca pointed to back behind a desk. Desmond nodded and went to retrieve it.

"**Kadar, I'll show you and answer any questions you have, if that's alright. Shaun is going to get some materials to try and help teach you English,**" Desmond said, picking up the spare laptop and walking over to the couches. He looked down at the seats, then back up at Kadar. **"Sit with me?"**

"… **Very well. I will learn your language as fast as I can, and I wish to know more about this world. Tell me all that has changed,"** Kadar said, stalking over to the couches before sitting down. Desmond felt his mood dampen a bit at the man's attitude. It was clear he wasn't taking adjustment well, but he was keeping his emotions tightly reined.

"**Well, I'm not much of a history person… I barely learned the proper history of my own country-"**

"**I can help, though it would be easier if you learned English first. I am, for the most part, a historian," **Shaun called out, his halting Arabic still managing to convey his haughty tone. Desmond grunted in response, but Kadar nodded.

"**Thank you, I would appreciate it,"** Kadar called back. Shaun nodded, not turning away from his screen once. Kadar paused briefly, then revealed a wry smile. **"Your friend reminds me of the rafiqs,"** he whispered. Desmond turned at the odd tone in the man's voice. He blinked at the look on Kadar's face before quickly averting his gaze, but the look of pain, of suffering in Kadar's eyes stayed with him.

"… **I'm sorry… I don't know how you must feel…" **There was a moment of silence. Desmond felt awkward and wished he hadn't said anything. After a few minutes, Kadar shook his head as if to dispel his thoughts.

"**Nevermind how I feel… Now's not the time for it. Teach me what you have here, and I will teach you all that I know. Who knows; we might make an assassin out of you yet, Novice," **Kadar smiled widely at that, having never been able to use the title against someone before. Desmond looked about ready to retort before he thought the better of it and settled for a defeated sigh.

They spent the next hour talking about the laptop. Desmond explained the functions of the keys and the touchpad, as well as the meaning of many features on the computer. Kadar practiced using the keyboard and touchpad with some difficulty. The keyboard made no sense to him, but Desmond had the idea of changing the language to Arabic. It was still difficult, but Kadar was beginning to grasp the function of the machine.

"Desmond, we're all set here if you want to get in. Just so you know, my Baby is a huge improvement over the ones at Abstergo. You'll be able to stay in there for a lot longer, with less chances of side-effects too," Rebecca called out, grinning with what Desmond was beginning to realize must be her default expression.

"Side effects?"

"Erm, yeah," Rebecca said, averting her eyes. At Desmond's frown, she began listing a lot of symptoms that did nothing to relieve Desmond's worries.

"… Great. **Kadar, I'm going into the machine again. I don't know when I'll be out,"** Desmond said as he got up and walked over to the ANIMUS. Kadar nodded. He watched, perplexed as Desmond sat in the machine. This one was clearly different, but apparently it served the same function. Then, he watched in shock as Rebecca put something into Desmond's skin. Kadar jumped up as Desmond began to move and blink sluggishly and he sprinted to the man's side when his head lolled back.

"**What happened? Did you poison him?"** Kadar yelled. Rebecca flinched back, her hands raised high. Lucy had gotten up as well, her hand reaching under her desk. Kadar looked down at Desmond worriedly. He did not wake.

"**Kadar? You need to calm down. Desmond is fine, this is normal…"** Shaun had gotten up and was walking towards him. **"Desmond is going through old memories now. He'll be awake again in a couple of hours, I swear."** Kadar looked doubtfully at him. Shaun sighed. "Rebecca, can you bring that idiot out for a moment? Kadar thinks we've poisoned 'im, like _that_ would be worth the poison."

Rebecca huffed, then quickly sat down and jabbed at a few keys angrily.

"Desmond, can you hear me? Kadar is having a hissy fit, so I'm bringing you out. Three, two…" Rebecca pressed a button, and instantly Desmond, groaned, sitting up in his chair. Kadar let out a visible sigh of relief.

"… **erm… Kadar, is everything all right?" **

"**I told you, didn't I,"** Shaun grumbled. **"Just fine, not a hair harmed on his dainty little head." **This earned him a glare from both men. Shaun shrugged. **"It's true."**

"**I'm sorry, Desmond. Out of all the people here, only you have given me any reason to trust you," **Kadar began to explain. Desmond held up his hand.

"**I trust these people to bring me through this. At this point, what options do we have?" **Desmond said. Kadar crossed his arms, and after a few moments nodded.

"**You are right,"** Kadar assented. Desmond smiled. Kadar stared at him, before turning sharply away.

"Alright, disaster averted. Send me back into the Matrix," Desmond quipped. Rebecca snorted, typed in a few lines of commands, and Desmond was gone once more. Shaun grumbled away, muttering about 'crazy, ancient assassins' and their 'damn trigger-happy instincts.' Both comments earned him a glare from the two women, but he ignored them. Shaun instead grabbed the spare laptop, connected it to his desktop, and began madly typing away on it. Kadar looked around at the group. He was acutely aware that he'd made no friends with his actions. Sighing, he decided to try to make amends, as well as get a feel for the group.

'Best to start with the one I can actually talk with,' he thought.

"**Peace, Shaun."**

"**Yeah?"**

"**I have questions, if you would not mind answering them." **

"**I can certainly try,"** Shaun answered, never once looking up from his computer. Kadar bit back his sigh.

"**Are you an assassin?"**

"**Now that is a big question, isn't it,"** Shaun asked brightly. Immediately, Kadar bristled at his tone. Shaun spared him a perfunctory glance, and relented.** "I wasn't, not originally. I was a normal person, too curious for his own good. The assassins here found me before the templars did, and I was given the choice to join them or spend the rest of my days running from templars,"** Shaun began. He paused his typing to turn and look at Kadar. **"I enjoy this job though, so it's not always so bad. Kind of fun at times, when I'm not fighting for my life."** Kadar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"… **Fun? Are all of the people of this time so laid-back? Do you not know the cause you fight for?" **Shaun's face darkened. Kadar sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. **"To rid the world of the templars, to bring peace in all things… the order's creed… these are noble goals that we must uphold and represent-,"** Kadar stopped short, looking at Shaun's decidedly upset face.

"**Those goals are actually part of an archaic mindset. The modern day assassins' goal has been first and foremost to stop the templars. All else is secondary,"** Shaun muttered. **"What we're doing here, we do to protect the free minds of all human beings. It's a huge responsibility. I don't know what kind of impression Desmond has made on you, but we all take our duty very seriously, and we all play our parts, but some of us, me for instance, only joined this life recently. Excuse me for getting some joy out of it."** Shaun spun his chair sharply, turning away from Kadar as he finished his typing. Kadar sighed, unsure what to do. He gave a brief glance towards Desmond, but knew it would be a long time before he came out of the machine.

'_It would be so much easier to just begin training him, something that I know how to do…' _

"**Here."**

Kadar jumped a bit at the man's voice. He saw the strange machine being handed to him.

"**This is called a laptop,"** Shaun explained. **"I noticed Desmond didn't know the word, probably because it was not a word in your time."**

"**Laptop…?" **

"**Yeah. I know he showed you how to use it,"** Shaun jerked his chin at Desmond. Kadar nodded. **"I put on a program that will teach you English. It's already on, so go over there and work on it,"** Shaun waved a hand towards the couches they had been at earlier. Kadar sighed and began to walk over. Shaun watched him walking away, then sighed. "**Wait, before you get settled, let's see if we can find you something else to wear. **Lucy?" Shaun glanced at the other woman. She was engrossed in something on her computer screen, occasionally typing and muttering to herself.

"Uh… yeah?" She sounded distracted. '_Good_,' Shaun thought.

"Going to get Kadar some new clothes, be right back," Shaun called as he took the laptop, set it down, and then indicated to Kadar to follow him out.

"Yeah, sure. Come back soon."

Rebecca's smothered laughter followed him out.

* * *

Desmond groaned. His mind felt full and tired, although his body felt completely energized. Desmond sat still for a moment, trying to get his eyes, his real eyes to focus on anything. It was a moment before he could remember how to move correctly. His heart felt heavy, he felt heavy… like he'd lived a lifetime, and in a way he had.

"… Desmond… how do you feel?" It was Rebecca. Her face appeared over his own, a critical gaze taking in his every move.

'_Like I watched my family get murdered in front of me, and now I'm a vigilante avenging their deaths?'_

"Fine, fine… just a little overwhelmed. That was a lot more… intense than the ANIMUS at Abstergo," Desmond croaked out, coughing to clear his throat. Rebecca grinned at his response.

"Yeah, my Baby is way more powerful than anything those guys can make."

"More comfortable too," Desmond smiled. Rebecca's smile only broadened, and she made a sweeping arc with her arm.

"I live to please!" Desmond laughed at that, pulling himself upright and swinging his legs out of the chair.

"**You look unwell, Desmond."**Desmond turned to see Kadar standing by Lucy. He did a double take. Kadar was dressed in modern clothes. Desmond took in the dark blue jeans, the brown sweater with the white shirt underneath just barely showing. He was wearing a pair of comfortable looking sneakers, though he fidgeted. Desmond met his eyes and quickly turned his away. Kadar cleaned up a little too well.

"Well. This is new," Desmond said.

"Shaun snuck out and bought him a full set of clothes. He's grounded," Lucy said distractedly. Shaun scowled but made no comment. Desmond couldn't help but snort at that.

"**I'm fine, just tired. What have you been doing this entire time,"** Desmond asked. Kadar shrugged.

"**I am learning English,"** he answered. Desmond blinked, surprised.

"Wow." Desmond nodded contemplatively, as did Kadar. Neither of them said anything.

Lucy looked up at the sudden silence.

"Hm. Well, why don't we test your skill retention? Come on, Desmond. Kadar can come too, if he'd like," Lucy suggested, standing up and beginning to walk out of the room.

"**Um, I guess we're doing some sort of training? Want to come?"** Desmond jogged to follow after Lucy, hearing Kadar murmur an affirmative and follow at a more subdued pace. They walked back down through the building into the warehouse like room. Lucy led them to a wide open area.

"Alright, let's see how well you retained the skills of Ezio. Around this room there are several switches to turn on our defenses. Go turn them on." Desmond gave her a pout.

"Any hints?"

"Open your eyes, Desmond," Lucy grinned. Desmond sighed and began running across the room. He spotted a red light on the second floor, and quickly devised a route to it. Taking a deep breath, he began to climb up the stacked boxes. It was surprisingly easy. He scaled the boxes quickly, pressing the button before finding the next across the room. He jumped onto the bars, using several handholds to swing to his destination.

On ground level, Kadar and Lucy appraised his actions, Lucy with some degree of shock and Kadar analyzing Desmond's weaknesses and strengths.

'_Favors right arm and leg, though he seems to be fairly proficient in both. Probably needs to work on using both more regularly. Stance is mostly solid, but needs some work- Shit,'_ Kadar jerked forward as he saw Desmond miss a handhold and drop. Desmond hit the ground rolling and got up, shaking off the fall easily. He didn't seem too worried… and suddenly he looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Uh… Lucy? I'm seeing things!" Desmond's voice was only slightly worried, a far cry from his inner freaking out. In the middle of the warehouse, Kadar watched Lucy's face tinge with worry.

"Are the hallucinations lasting longer than thirty seconds?"

Desmond blinked at the air.

"N-no…"

"Then it's nothing to worry about. How're you finding those buttons?"

Desmond grumbled, restarting his climb up. The remainders of the buttons were located with only a few more hallucinations. Desmond found the last one and swung down to the bottom level, trying to ignore the phantom guards he'd knocked over in the process.

Kadar watched with increasing confusion as Desmond flinched from empty air, or took a sharp step to the side as if to avoid something. He was growing more and more convinced that his new novice was likely insane.

"**What ails you, Desmond?"** Desmond looked up and groaned, unwilling to go into the specifics of what he was going through.

"**Some side effects of the machine I was in. Don't worry about it,"** Desmond responded, waving off the question. "Alright Lucy, got them all. I think I'll stay down here and do some training with Kadar." Lucy blinked in surprise.

"Well, okay. Take it easy though, and you probably want to turn in early. See you, Desmond." With that, Lucy left. Desmond rolled his shoulders and faced Kadar.

"**I'm ready to learn, Kadar,"** Desmond said, grinning. Kadar nodded and couldn't help the small smile that played over his face as well.

'_Finally, something I am familiar with,'_ he thought.

"**We shall begin with the very basics and see what you already know,"** Kadar said, sitting on the ground and indicating for Desmond to sit opposite of him. They spent a good hour talking about theory, technique, and breathing before doing anything. Kadar imposed a regiment of exercises to work up Desmond's fitness to an acceptable level. By the time they were done, Desmond had worked up a good sweat and was getting tired. To Kadar's great surprise and pleasure, Desmond never once raised a complaint or asked to stop. He was completely trusting of Kadar to know what he was doing.

"**Let's finish up for the day. Stretch out thoroughly so your muscles do not cramp."** Desmond nodded and did as he was told. After a few stretches, he decided he was done and grabbed his discarded sweater and shirt.

"**I'm ready to turn in. Thanks for the lesson, Kadar."** Desmond was smiling genuinely at him. Kadar could only nod in response. They began walking in silence towards the exit. **"Oh, as far as weapons go, I was wo-…" **

Kadar paused and turned to look at Desmond.

"**What's wrong? Desmond? You don't look well…" **Kadar laid a hand on the other man's shoulder, but Desmond did not acknowledge it. His face had gone somewhat pale, his eyes intensely focused on something Kadar could not see. Up close, Kadar realized that Desmond was mumbling to himself beneath his breath.

"Wait, who is that… come ba-!" Suddenly, Desmond's eyes rolled up and his body dropped. Kadar cried at as he lunged forward to catch Desmond. Quickly, he checked the man's eyes and pulse, listening close for breathing.

"**Desmond! Desmond!"**

* * *

AN: Thanks for your patience! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)


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